Electrically-porpelled vehicle



Mar'ch 1,1927. f 1,619,616

P. D.v IONIDES ELECTRICALLJY PROPELLED VEHICLE Filed po. 24, 1925 mmmwvxw wmail l.

Patented Mar. l, 1927.

UNITED STATES .eArENToeeice PHILIE DENIS IoNIDEs, 0E IrswroH, ENGLAND, AssIGNon 0E ONE-HALE To RAN- soMEs & RAPIER LIMITED, or IPSWICH, ENGLAND, A COMPANY oE GREAT BRITAIN.

ELECTRIoALLY-PROIELLED vEIrioLE.

Application tiled December 24, 1925. Serial No. 77,671.

This invention relates to electrically prrr pelled vehicles and has for its object to provide an improved driving and steering' unit for such vehicles Vwhich will accoi'nmodate itselt to irregularities in the surface over which it travels.;

A further object is to provide a driving andi steering unit having two wheels both driven from a common source of power in such a manner that each wheel is automatically supplied with that proportion ot the available power which it requires so as to ensure a steady drive in spite of one of the wheels requiring greater `power` than the other at some times7 fory example when it meets an obstruction or when the vehicle is turning.

According to this invention the driving and steering unit comprises a frame supportedI on, two wheels and carrying rigidly secured thereto two electric motors each of which drives one ot the wheels. Adapted to connect this driving unit tothe vehicle isr a steering post the upper endet which is rotatably mounted in the vehicle trame while the lower end is so connected by a pivot to the trame of the driving unit that this unit can rock relatively to the. steering post in a plane at right angles to the direction ot travel of the driving unit. Preferably the two wheels are freely mounted on the ends ot an axle rigidly secured to the driving unit trame and are adapted to be driven through spur or like gearing from the electric motors.

The electric motors are preferably series wound so that if one wheel meets with increased resistance, as when the vehicle is turning in a circle or passingover broken ground, the supply of power to each wheel is automatically adjusted to the required extent.

The invention may he carried out in various ways but one. construction of driving and steeringl unit according to this invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical section through the axes ot the road wheels.

Figure 2 is a plan.

In the construction illustrated the driving and steering unit is adapted to support one end,` for example the rear of a travelling crane or other vehicle the frame of which is shown at A.

The. driving and steering unit comprises a frame or castingB carrying rigidly securedl thereto an aXle B1 which is retained in4 position and locked against rotation by two set screws B2. Rotatably mounted on each end ot the axle B1 isa gear wheel C, these gear wheels being supported on ball bearings C1 and roller bearings C2. Each olf the gear wheels 'C has a road wheel/D bolted' thereto as shown. these road wheels being provided with rubber or like treads D1.

Rigidly mount-ed on cach end ot the trame D is anV electric motor E. preferably ot the series-wound type. Each ot these motors has rigidlyvsecured to the end ot its shaft a pinion E1 which meshes with a relatively large gear wheel F mounted on oneend ot a shaft F1 carried in bearings in and extending across the iframe B; To'the' other endo'f each shaft F1 is rigidly secured a second relatively small gear wheel F2V and these gear wheels F2'1nesh with the gear wheels C carrying the road wheels D; Thus it' will be seen that each ot the electric motors E drives one ot' the road'wheels through a train of reduction gearing. n

Connecting the tramey B ot the driving and' steering unit to thevehicle frame. A is a substantially vertical steering post IT the lower end ot which is connectedfto thetrame B by a longitudinal pivot J in such a manner that the frame B can rock relatively to the steering post H in a plane atright angles to the direction of travel ot the driving unit. In order to prevent undue stress being placed upon the steering 1)ost and` the pivot J when the driving unit is in operation, the post H is conveniently provided with Hats H1 which engage the side walls K ot a slot K1 Jformed in the upper portion of the frame B and through which the post H passes, the arrangement being such that the slot acts as a guide t'or the post which permits the desired rocking ot the drivingl unit relatively to this post and acts as a thrust member taking part ot' the stresses set up by the driving` torce.

The upper end of the steering post H is rotatably mounted in bearings L and L1 formed respectively in a circular boss A1 on the vehicle frame A and in a disc-like member A2 secured to the vehicle trame as shown, Thrust bearings L2 are also providedto transmit the weight ot the vehicle to the post H. The upper end of the steering post H is adapted to have a gear or worm wheelV secured thereto by means of which the post and hence the driving unit can be turned relatively to the vehicle frame for the purpose of steering.

Shoulders are preferably provided on the driving unit frame and on the vehicle frame as shown respectively at B3 and A3, rthese shoulders being adapted to come in contact with one another if the driving unit tilts beyond a certain angle relatively to the vehicle, thus reducing risk of straining the steering post II and also preventing the road wheels coming into contact with some part of the vehicle or vehicle frame, due to an excessive tilt of the driving unit. Guards or covers M are conveniently provided to enclose the gear wheels C and F2 and thus protect them from dirt or water when the vehicle is in use.

The electric motors may be supplied with current from some convenient source, for ex- Vample from a. dynamo-electric generator mounted on the vehicle and driven by an internal combustion engine, the speed of which is varied to control the speed of the electric In the appended claims the Vterm front and rear faces7 of the tilting block is intended to indicate those faces of the block which lie in planes parallel to the longitudinal axis of the deadv axle.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is v l. A driving and steering unit for an electrically propelled vehicle comprising a vertical steering post adapted to be mounted to rotate inthevehicle frame, a tilting block, a pivot so connecting the tilting block to the steering post that this block can rock about an axis at right angles to the axis of rotation of the steering post, a short dead axle extending across and rigidly carried by the tilting block, aV road wheel freely mounted at each end of the axle,two electric motors mounted respectively on the front and rear faces of the tilting block and transmission mechanism whereby one of these motors is caused to drive each road wheel.

2. A driving and steering unit for an electrically propelled vehicle comprising a vertical steering post adapted to be mounted to rotate in the vehicle frame. a tilting block, a pivot so connecting the tilting block to the steering post that this block can rock about an axis at right angles to the axis of rotation of the steering post, a short dead axle extending across and rigidly carried by the tilting block, a road wheel freely mounted at eachend of the axle, two serieswound electric motors mounted respectively on the front and rear faces of the tilting block, and spur gearing connecting each of these motors to one of the road wheels.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

PHILIP DENIS IONIDES. 

